Number: 26194 March 2007
ADB Translation Framework
ABBREVIATIONS ADB AfDB CPS DER DGT EBRD EU IDB IMF MDB NGO PCP – – – – – – – – – – – – Asian Development Bank African Development Bank country partnership strategy Department of External Relations Directorate-General for Translation European Bank for Reconstruction and Development European Union Inter-American Development Bank International Monetary Fund multilateral development bank nongovernment organization public communications policy
NOTE In this report, "$" refers to US dollars and "€" to euros.
CONTENTS Page Executive Summary I. INTRODUCTION A. Background B. Framework Development and Contents TRANSLATION PRACTICE OF OTHER MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TRANSLATION PRACTICE OF ADB A. Overview B. Problem Analysis TRANSLATION FRAMEWORK A. Principles and Assumptions B. Types of Documents for Translation to Increase Public Awareness About ADB C. Types of Documents for Translation to Communicate with Affected People IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRANSLATION FRAMEWORK A. Requesting Documents for Translation B. Infrastructure to Implement the Translation Framework C. Translation Coordination D. Quality Assurance E. Responsibilities for Translation Coordination and Quality Assurance STAFFING AND RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS i 1 1 2 2 4 4 5 6 6 8 10 13 13 13 14 14 14 15
II. III.
IV.
V.
VI.
APPENDIXES 1. 2. Translation for Donor Member Countries ADB Disclaimer for Translated Documents 16 17
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction In April 2005, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) Board of Directors approved a public communications policy (PCP) which seeks to enhance stakeholders’ trust in and ability to engage with ADB. The PCP also called for the development of a translation framework (the framework) to outline the ways in which ADB will expand the extent of information made available in languages other than English, the working language of ADB. ADB’s present practice of translation reflects the commitments made in the PCP and other policies to make information available to affected people in a language that they can understand. ADB's safeguard1 policies require that borrowers or project sponsors make relevant information on a project's safeguard issues available in a form and language(s) accessible to affected people. Beyond these specific commitments, ADB’s current approach to translation is demanddriven, based on the need for a particular document at a particular time. Decisions regarding translation at ADB primarily rest with the office originating the document in consultation with the resident mission concerned. Each resident mission reacts to such need independently, deciding whether or not to translate and allocating or identifying funds individually. The result is translation of a mixture of documents into a variety of languages, including but not limited to policies (e.g., anticorruption policy, policy on gender and development); country-specific chapters of the Asian Development Outlook; procurement guidelines; environmental guidelines; and country-specific documents about ADB operations. A translation framework is needed because the current case-by-case approach misses opportunities for communication. This has meant that limited funds have sometimes been deployed in a manner that is not strategic, depleting resources early on, before potentially more important translation needs emerge. Also, the translation coordination process itself may have been a barrier to translation, because it is arduous and time-consuming, with no facilitating guides, administrative arrangements, or knowledge-sharing from others who have navigated it. Further, there is no specific budget for translation services or staff resource allocation for coordination of translation activities; where there have been limited sources of funding, few staff have been aware of their existence or how to tap into them. Framework Principles and Assumptions The translation framework has been developed under several key principles and assumptions. Notably, the framework focuses on document translation for developing member countries. It builds upon the commitments made under the safeguard policies and the PCP, particularly in terms of communicating with affected people in a language understandable to them. The language that ADB will consider translating documents into will depend on the purpose of the document in question and the language(s) spoken by stakeholders it is trying to reach. Since ADB is operating in a resource-constrained environment, allocation decisions regarding translation must be made carefully and strategically.
1
ADB’s safeguard policies cover the environment, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous peoples.
ii
The framework is a guiding tool that upholds the flexibility and discretion of the decisionmaker. The decision as to whether or not to translate lies in the hands of the office originating or owning the document. ADB will not itself translate documents owned by borrowers or project sponsors, but will encourage the document owner to communicate with affected people. Translation decisions in terms of what to translate, when, and into what languages will involve the borrower. The framework reiterates that English is the working language of ADB, and the English version of all ADB documents will remain the official version. However, ADB will endeavor to produce high quality translations that accurately reflect the meaning in the non-English language. Since this framework does not establish new operational policy or procedure, the guidance established herein is not subject to compliance review under the ADB accountability mechanism. The framework will be reviewed 3 years after its approval date to ensure that translation practice at ADB remains appropriate to changing business and linguistic needs. Translation Practice Under the Framework The framework calls for routinely translating documents that increase public awareness and provide institutional information about ADB. These are referred to as “awareness-raising documents” and include: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) the country partnership strategy (which ADB had already committed to translating through the PCP); information on ADB, and on ADB and its member countries; basic policies that help external stakeholders to engage with ADB; and other institutional/strategy documents.
ADB will continue the current practice of working closely with the borrower or project sponsor, as applicable, to ensure information is provided to affected people as committed to under the ADB safeguard policies on the environment, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous peoples; the accountability mechanism; and in the PCP, paragraph 74. Infrastructure to Implement the Translation Framework ADB’s Department of External Relations will lead the development and implementation of the framework. Its tasks include developing glossaries of ADB and development-related terms in various languages that will facilitate the work of translators; overseeing the central translation budget; ensuring smooth administrative and contracting procedures for engagement of translators; and serving as a focal point for coordination of translation activities. ADB’s resident missions help guide translation decisions based on their knowledge of the local context and stakeholders. They also coordinate document translations by engaging translators and editors, and verifying the quality of the end products.
I. A. Background
INTRODUCTION
1. In April 2005, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) Board of Directors approved a public communications policy (PCP) which seeks to enhance stakeholders’ trust in and ability to engage with ADB. The PCP also aims to increase the development impact of ADB operations by promoting: (i) awareness and understanding of ADB activities, policies, strategies, objectives, and results among ADB’s constituents, other stakeholders, and the general public; sharing and exchange of development knowledge and lessons learned, in order to provide fresh and innovative perspective on development issues; participatory development, ensuring a greater two-way flow of information between ADB and its stakeholders, including affected people; and transparency and accountability in ADB operations.1
(ii) (iii) (iv)
2. The PCP calls for increased information sharing, especially with regard to operational information. Under the PCP, ADB will proactively share knowledge and information about its work with stakeholders and the public at large, expanding opportunities for those affected by ADB projects2 to be informed about, and influence, the decisions that affect their lives. This communication will not be effective if information is conveyed in a language that the target audience cannot understand. Thus, translation of information into languages accessible by the target audiences goes hand in hand with effective communication and disclosure. In fact, the PCP commits ADB staff to ensuring that project-affected people receive regular information on projects in an appropriate language and medium. 3. The PCP called for the development of a translation framework to outline the ways in which ADB will expand the extent of information made available in languages other than English, the working language of ADB. Such a framework is needed because translation at ADB has taken place on an as-needed, case-by-case basis that misses opportunities for communication. This has meant that limited funds have sometimes been deployed in a manner that is not strategic, depleting resources early on, before potentially more important translation needs emerge. In several cases, staff have not planned or budgeted for translation, only to encounter a translation need later; they then had to try to find the resources elsewhere, or forego translation. Also, the translation coordination process itself may have been a barrier to translation, because it is arduous and time-consuming, with no facilitating guides, administrative arrangements, or knowledge-sharing from others who have navigated it. Further, there is no specific budget for translation services or staff resource allocation for coordination of translation activities; while there have been limited sources of funding, few staff have been aware of their existence or how to tap into them.
1
2
ADB. 2005. The Public Communications Policy of the Asian Development Bank, Disclosure and Exchange of Information. “Project” in this document refers to ADB-assisted projects and programs financed under loans and grants, including technical assistance projects.
2
B.
Framework Development and Contents
4. Development. ADB’s translation framework (the framework) has been developed through analysis of available data on translation at ADB and current practices of other multilateral development banks (MDBs) and international institutions. Resident mission staff involved in document translation were consulted, and a working group of representatives from ADB’s five regional departments and the Private Sector Operations Department was formed to gather their perspectives. 5. The framework has undergone review by ADB departments and offices. Staff comments have been incorporated into the current draft. Input from external stakeholders was solicited during two phases of the framework’s development. The first draft was posted on ADB’s website for a 60-day comment period and e-mails were sent to over 2,200 representatives of the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The draft was translated into Lao, Russian, and Vietnamese. Responses to external comments were subsequently posted on the web, and the second consultation draft made available for another 30-day comment period. 6. A number of external stakeholders have already voiced opinions on translation through the consultations on the PCP. These suggestions were taken into account in the development of the current translation framework. The recommendations were diverse. For example, some stakeholders said that ADB documents pertaining to ADB operations in a given country should be available in all of the national languages of the country concerned; that all publicly disclosed policy documents should be made available in the language of every country in which ADB operates; and that all publicly disclosed project-related documents should be made available in the language of the country where the project is located. Others suggested that ADB identify “key documents” (such as operational policies) that must be translated into all or a significant number of regional languages, and a second set of documents (e.g., country strategy documents) that require translation into a more limited subset of languages. Project documents could be translated into the language(s) spoken by potentially affected communities. 7. Many stakeholders urged ADB to make a clear commitment to allocating adequate resources for translation and suggested that the cost for translation and provision of documents should be incorporated into budget estimates for each project. Several member country governments also noted that the costs should be shouldered by ADB through grant financing. 8. Organization of the paper. Section II highlights the current translation practices of other MDBs and international institutions. Current translation practice at ADB is described in Section III. Section IV contains the framework itself, including principles and assumptions underlying the translation framework and types of documents to be translated. Section V outlines implementation of the translation framework, and Section VI discusses resource implications. Two appendices can be found at the end of the paper. II. TRANSLATION PRACTICE OF OTHER MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
9. The development of the translation framework took into account translation practices of other MDBs and international institutions, looking at their working language(s); language policy, if any; staff involved in translation; and budget for translation. 10. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. EBRD has four working languages—English, French, German, and Russian. EBRD has six London-based translation
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and interpretation staff; it outsources a large percentage of its translations. The EBRD Public Information Policy of 2003 states that it would translate, on a pilot basis, future approved country strategies into local languages. It also committed to translate, on a progressive basis, three documents vital to its interaction with the public (the Public Information Policy, the Independent Recourse Mechanism, and the Environmental Policy).3 11. Inter-American Development Bank. IDB’s working languages are English and Spanish. All documents submitted to the Board of Governors are produced in all four official languages (English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish). In addition, pursuant to the institution's information disclosure policy, and the related Board mandate, IDB must provide access to information in all its member countries in a manner that enhances transparency. Consequently, documents are produced in the four languages of IDB's borrowing member countries, as needed. 12. African Development Bank. English and French are the official languages of AfDB. Documents are routinely translated into these languages, according to member countries’ needs. AfDB also translates information such as consultations, disclosed information, and publications into other languages, depending on its external communication needs.4 13. International Monetary Fund. IMF’s working language is English. Since IMF does not have a formal mandate to publish in languages other than English, decisions are based on perceived utility, demand, and cost factors.5 14. World Bank Group. The working language of the World Bank Group is English. In 2003, the World Bank Group issued a document translation framework and established a centralized (in Washington D.C.) translation services facility. The responsibility for decisions on translation (including what, when, and how) is vested in each document’s business sponsor, and the sponsor decides whether to use the centralized services facility or vendors in the field for translating documents. In 2006, the World Bank completed a review of the implementation of the translation framework.6 15. The framework provides the following “good practice principles” to guide decisionmakers as they choose which documents to translate: (i) documents and publications that address the institution’s overall business and strategic thinking and that are destined for a wide international audience; (ii) documents provided to an audience for public consultation; and (iii) documents and publications that address country- and project-specific information. The World Bank does not translate documents owned by borrowers. In 2006, the World Bank issued to staff a set of core document types, publications, and web content that should be routinely translated, including basic institutional documents and information, project information documents, issues briefs, and press releases. Beyond the core list, the staff guidelines recommend as good practice translating country studies, economic and sector work, project appraisal documents, regional flagship reports, and website material.
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EBRD. 2003. Public Information Policy. Available: http://www.ebrd.org/about/policies/pip/pip.pdf World Bank. 2003. A Translation Framework for the World Bank Group. Available: http://www1. worldbank.org/ operations/disclosure/documents/TranslationFramework.pdf 5 IMF. 2003. A Review of the Fund’s External Communications Strategy. Available: http://www.imf.org/external/ np/exr/docs/2003/021303.pdf 6 The report, “Translation Framework for the World Bank: Progress in Implementation” and its supplemental note were discussed by the World Bank Board of Directors 5 October 2006. Available: http://wwwwds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=641 87510&searchMenuPK=64187283&theSitePK=523679&entityID=000020953_20061211110416&searchMenuPK= 64187283&theSitePK=523679
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16. The review determined that the centralized facility was not cost effective, but translations provided by other vendors in the field were often of poor quality. Based on lessons learned, the World Bank is creating regional translation hubs to supplement the work of the centralized facility. The unit that develops a document is responsible for commissioning, financing, and assuring the quality of any translation. 17. European Union. The EU has 20 official languages: Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, and Swedish. It is required to publish its legislation in all of these languages, which it does through the European Commission's Directorate-General for Translation (DGT), the largest translation service in the world. Located in Brussels and Luxembourg, DGT translates written text into and out of all the EU's official languages, exclusively for the European Commission.7 18. The European Commission operates internally in three procedural languages— English, French, and German—and documents for internal Commission use only are drafted in one or more of these and, if necessary, translated only between those three languages. Similarly, incoming documents in a non-procedural language are translated into one of the procedural languages so that they can be generally understood within the Commission, but are not translated into the other official languages. 19. Documents issued by each EU institution (European Commission, European Council, European Parliament, European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Court of Justice, and Court of Auditors) are translated by the respective translation service for that institution. These individual translation services are supplemented as needed by the shared Translation Centre. The Commission and other EU institutions are currently in the process of completing a 2-year transition process to incorporate the most recently added nine official languages. The cost of translation at all institutions, once they are fully operational, is estimated at €800 million per year including €320 million for DGT. This is out of a total EU budget of €105.2 billion for 2005. In 2007, three new languages will be added; the cost is projected to rise by €30 million.8 III. A. Overview TRANSLATION PRACTICE OF ADB
20. English is the working language of ADB.9 ADB currently has no comprehensive institutional policy or approach to translation. Its present practice of translation reflects the commitments made in terms of safeguard10 policies to make information available to affected people in a language that they can understand. In accordance with these policies, documents and/or information relating to environmental concerns, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous peoples are translated into local languages.
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Directorate-General for Translation of the European Commission. Available: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/ navigation/faq/ faq_facts_en.htm 8 ———. 2005. MEMO/06/173, Translation in the Commission: Where Do We Stand Two Years After the Enlargement? Available: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/173&format= HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en 9 ADB. 1966. The Agreement Establishing the Asian Development Bank. Article 39.1. 10 ADB’s safeguard policies include the environment policy and its Operations Manual, Section F1; the policy on involuntary resettlement and its Operations Manual, Section F2; and the policy on indigenous people and its Operations Manual, Section F3.
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21. Much like translation at other MDBs and international organizations, ADB’s practice to date has been demand-driven, based on the need for a particular document at a particular time. The decisions regarding translation primarily rest with the office originating the document in consultation with each resident mission. Each resident mission reacts to such need independently, deciding whether or not to translate and allocating or identifying funds individually. The result is translation of a mixture of documents into a variety of languages, including but not limited to policies; country-specific chapters of the Asian Development Outlook; procurement guidelines; environmental guidelines; and country-specific documents about ADB operations. ADB’s website currently lists 1,490 translated documents in the following languages: Azeri, Bahasa, Bangla, Chinese, Filipino, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Lao, Mongolian, Nepali, Russian, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese. There is no common set of translated documents across ADB. 22. In most cases, translations have been funded through project budgets, or the administrative budgets of the field offices. In addition, ADB administers two central funds ($70,000 annual allotment) to cover translation costs, one for translating documents from other languages into English, and another for translation from English into the languages of both donor and developing member countries. Requests have been handled on a first-come, firstserved basis, with no criteria employed for allocation of funds. The current budget allocation for translation is insufficient for meeting the need of raising ADB’s profile and improving understanding of ADB among external stakeholders. 23. The amount spent at ADB for translation before the framework was developed is difficult to establish because these figures are not tracked by any central system. In particular, translation costs related to projects are paid for through line items not designated for translation (e.g., “local consultants” or “project management”), so it is not possible to estimate a total amount spent on operations without reviewing individual project budgets. An extremely rough estimate, based on individual responses from regional departments and resident missions for costs from their budgets, is $140,000 spent on translation in 2004. More than half of this amount covered translation for communication with governments (e.g., government circulars, government policies, project proposals from local government, presentation materials, invitation letters, other correspondence, etc.). This reflects the fact that resident missions or regional offices that rely on translation of documents in order to communicate with counterpart governments plan for translation and include the costs in their annual budgets. 24. Of the estimated total, smaller amounts were spent on (i) translation of government documents in other languages into English for the understanding of ADB staff; (ii) awarenessbuilding documents about ADB (such as a brochure on the accountability mechanism); (iii) personal staff documents needed in English to obtain ADB benefits; (iv) project-specific documents; (v) country-specific documents (such as the country strategy and program or its update); and (vi) ADB reports into donor member country languages. 25. ADB operates in a complex linguistic environment, with 44 developing member countries. Many developing member countries have more than one official and/or national language. The diversity of languages spoken in these countries makes doing business a challenge. B. Problem Analysis
26. Flexibility and decision-making discretion are positive attributes of the current system. However, they sometimes lead to a less than strategic use of limited funds—when documents
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are translated on a “first-come, first-served” basis, funds may be depleted before the end of the fiscal year and before other, potentially more strategic or important, translation needs emerge. Often, translation appears to be an afterthought. 27. Since there is no centralized approach to or knowledge-sharing about translation, ADB staff—at both headquarters and in field offices—must to some extent learn the process “from scratch” when their first translation need arises. The process of identifying translator candidates, hiring a chosen translator through a contracting method, tasking the assignments, and answering any questions that arise, and—most time-consuming of all—proofreading and ensuring the quality of the delivered product can be onerous. This arduous process, with no guides or administrative arrangements in place, can serve as a deterrent to translation. 28. The absence of a translation framework at ADB also means that there is no specific budget for translation services or staff resource allocation for coordination of translation activities. Even when there are piecemeal budgets available for translation, such as the regional technical assistance for translation in the late 1990s11 or the $50,000 translation budget administered by the Department of External Relations (DER), staff are often not aware of these resources. For example, in 2004, only $18,713 of this budget was expended, all for translation of documents into Japanese. 29. ADB has carried out considerable translation, through the current ad hoc system, to communicate in a complex linguistic environment with a variety of stakeholders—borrowers and project sponsors, affected people, in-country stakeholders such as nongovernment (NGOs) and civil society organizations, and international audiences in member developing and developed countries, among others. ADB recognizes the opportunity to communicate more widely and effectively by expanding the extent of information made available in languages other than English used in ADB’s developing member countries. This is the purpose of the translation framework. IV. TRANSLATION FRAMEWORK
30. ADB’s translation practice needs to be more strategic, systematic, and consistent. This chapter outlines the principles and assumptions that will govern translation at ADB and describes the types of documents that will be routinely translated. A. Principles and Assumptions
31. The translation framework was developed under several guiding principles and assumptions. 32. Translation for developing member countries. The framework focuses on document translation for developing member countries. The translation needs for donor member countries are addressed separately, in Appendix 1. 33. Commitment to communication. The purpose of the translation framework is to complement ADB’s communication efforts with outside stakeholders in line with its operational needs. Making information available in languages other than English, ADB’s working language, will lead to better communication and enhanced understanding of the work that ADB does and supports.
11
ADB. 2005. Translation of Asian Development Bank Documents into Local Languages.
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34. Flexibility. The translation framework is a guiding tool that upholds the flexibility and discretion of the decision-maker. The responsibility for translation lies in the hands of the office originating or owning the document. 35. Working language. English is, and will remain, the working language of ADB. The English version of all ADB documents will remain the official version. As such, translated documents should include a disclaimer to this effect, in the translated language (Appendix 2). However, ADB will do its best to verify the quality of its translated documents. 36. High-quality translations. ADB will endeavor to produce high quality translations that accurately reflect the meaning in the non-English language. 37. Dissemination of translated documents. When a document is translated, the mode and means of disseminating the document should be considered. Posting the translated document on the web may be insufficient to reach the targeted audience. In those cases, the document will likely need to be printed and distributed. 38. Languages for translation. ADB’s approach to translation will be pragmatic and flexible. Rather than routinely translating documents into a prescribed set of national or official languages, ADB will decide, in consultation with the government where appropriate, which languages to translate documents into based on the purpose of the document in question and the language(s) spoken by stakeholders it is trying to reach. For country- and project-specific documents, for example, consideration could be given to translating them into the national language of the country or local languages used within the country. In addition, as appropriate, project-specific documents could be translated into language(s) understood by the people affected by, or likely to be affected by, the project. 39. Honoring commitments. The framework builds upon the commitments made under the safeguard policies and the PCP, particularly in terms of communicating with affected people in a language understandable to them. Where the PCP specifies that documents or information will be made “publicly available” (i.e., posted on the ADB’s website), the framework will assume that this will be the official, English version, and that a translated version is not required. However, if translated versions of any ADB documents exist, the office originating or owning the document is encouraged to post these on the ADB’s website. 40. Translation needed for consultation. Documents should be translated when ADB consults—on its policies and strategies, country partnership and regional cooperation strategies and programs, and projects—with external stakeholders who cannot read English. The framework directly supports participatory development practices by encouraging translation of documents used in consultations. 41. Harmonization with best practices. As appropriate to ADB’s operational needs, the framework will harmonize with the best practice translation approaches of other international financial institutions. 42. Resource-constrained environment. Translation is costly—both in real dollars to pay for professional translators, and in staff time to coordinate translation jobs. Since ADB is operating in a resource-constrained environment, it will not be financially possible to translate all documents. Allocation decisions regarding translation must be made carefully and strategically.
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43. Budgeting for translation costs. For conveying project-specific information to affected people as called for under ADB’s existing safeguard policies, ADB and the borrower or project sponsor may wish to include the cost of translation in the budget for the project preparatory technical assistance and/or the loan, as needed. Responsibility for translation of documents, material, or information, as applicable, may be included in the consultants’ terms of reference. 44. Involvement of borrower or sponsor in translation decisions. Recognizing the central role of the borrower or project sponsor in the project and their responsibility for communicating with their citizens, ADB encourages borrowers and sponsors to play a key role in translation. Decisions regarding what project-specific documents to translate, when, and into what languages will involve the borrower or sponsor. This preserves country ownership of projects and respects national sovereignty. Where possible, the borrower or sponsor might also assist in verifying the accuracy of translations. 45. Borrower-owned documents not to be translated by ADB. ADB will not translate documents owned by borrowers or project sponsors. The borrower provides an English version of such documents to ADB; if the borrower has prepared a version in a local language, ADB should request that version and make it available to the public via the ADB’s website along with the English version. 46. Compliance review. The scope of ADB's accountability mechanism12 includes all ADB operational policies and procedures as they relate to the formulation, processing, or implementation of the project. As this framework does not establish operational policy or procedure, the guidance established herein is not subject to compliance review under the ADB accountability mechanism. 47. Framework is time-bound. The translation framework will be reviewed within 3 years after its approval date to ensure that translation practice at ADB remains appropriate to changing business and linguistic needs. B. Types of Documents for Translation to Increase Public Awareness About ADB
48. Through the translation framework, ADB recognizes the opportunity to increase public awareness about ADB in developing member countries by making available documents (or summary documents) in languages other than English. In an effort to increase awareness of what ADB is and what it does, as well as provide information on the institution’s overall business and strategic thinking, ADB has generated a list of document types that it will begin to translate on a more systematic basis. These documents, which will be translated under the coordination of DER, are referred to as “awareness-raising documents” and include: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) country partnership strategy, or CPS (which ADB already committed to translating through the PCP); information on ADB, and on ADB and its member countries; basic policies that help external stakeholders to engage with ADB; and institutional/strategy documents.
12
ADB. 2003. The Review of the Inspection Function: Establishment of a New ADB Accountability Mechanism (R7903).
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49. In terms of priced publications, such as Asian Development Outlook and its countryspecific chapters or Key Indicators, ADB will continue its current practice of making these available in languages other than English by working with local publishers. Local publishers purchase the publication’s copyright, translate it, print it, and sell it in the local market. This market-driven approach ensures that priced publications are translated into languages for which there is demand. 50. The translation of awareness-raising documents, with the exception of the CPSs, will be led by DER, and supported by resident missions. DER will consult with resident missions to determine whether the specific document needs to be translated, and if so, the most appropriate schedule for translation, based on business needs and the availability of funds and staff. 1. Country Partnership Strategy, CPS Mid-term Review, and Indicative Rolling Country Operations Business Plans
51. ADB has already committed to translating the CPS through the PCP (see PCP, paragraph 65). The CPS is an important document because it outlines ADB’s medium-term development strategy and operational program as agreed with the developing member country. In countries where English is not widely used, the PCP commits ADB to translating the CPS and its updates (which would include the CPS mid-term review) into a widely understood language within 90 calendar days of its endorsement by the Board. A budget for translator fees has been approved in the context of the PCP. It is administered by DER; resident missions request these funds when translating their CPSs. 2. Information on ADB, and on ADB and Its Member Countries
52. This category of documents describes ADB as an organization and provides information on ADB activities in different countries as well as its relationship with governments. They include: (i) ADB profile. This brief document provides key information about ADB in a compact format. It should routinely be made available in languages other than English. Country fact sheets. Translation of each country fact sheet into the language of that country would create an excellent tool for communication with in-country stakeholders. Press releases. Although it may not be practical to translate every ADB-issued press release, some resident missions may deem certain press releases of particular strategic value in communicating about ADB with non-English-speaking audiences. These press releases should be translated. Newsletters. Some resident missions issue newsletters to inform the public of ADB activities in their country. Where the audience does not understand English, these newsletters should be translated. Other fact sheets about ADB activities in a particular country. Resident missions sometimes write and distribute fact sheets describing their activities and projects. For audiences that do not understand English, these should be translated. Fact sheets on key topics. ADB has recently developed a series of concise twopage documents that provide an overview of ADB's response and strategy to help its developing member countries achieve sustainable economic growth and inclusive social development. Topics include clean energy, accountability, Millennium Development Goals, and anticorruption, among others.
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
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3.
Basic Documents that Help External Stakeholders Engage with ADB
53. There are a number of basic policies, strategies, and guidelines that will help external stakeholders who do not understand English—be they borrowers, implementing agencies, executing agencies, or NGOs—engage with ADB. Examples of these policies include: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) Safeguard policies − policy on indigenous peoples, environment policy, policy on involuntary resettlement (after they are updated) Public communications policy Institutional document on ADB-Government-NGO cooperation Environmental assessment guidelines (after they are updated) Anticorruption policy Accountability mechanism brochure Policy on gender and development Guidelines and handbooks on procurement and consulting services
54. DER will work with the sponsoring department of the policy or strategy to determine whether that policy or strategy should be translated, in full or as a summary. 4. Institutional/Strategy Documents
55. To communicate ADB’s strategic directions, a summary of institutional/strategy documents will be translated as soon as possible after they are developed. Examples of such documents include the Long-Term Strategic Framework, Medium-Term Strategy, and Enhanced Poverty Reduction Strategy. C. Types of Documents for Translation to Communicate with Affected People
56. ADB has made commitments to ensure that people affected by an ADB project are provided information about the project in a language accessible to them. As stated in paragraphs 57–62 and paragraph 70, ADB will continue to work closely with the borrower or project sponsor to ensure information is provided to affected people as committed to under the ADB safeguard policies on the environment, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous peoples; the accountability mechanism; and the PCP, paragraph 74. 1. The Environment
57. ADB will ensure that environmental impacts are communicated with people affected by ADB projects and programs. As outlined under PCP, paragraph 78 as well as ADB’s environment policy,13 ADB requires the borrower or project sponsor to make relevant information on the project’s environmental issues available to affected people before or during consultations with project-affected groups and local NGOs. For category A projects, the borrower or project sponsor must ensure that such information is available to affected people on two occasions: (i) during the early stages of environmental impact assessment field work; and (ii) when the draft environmental impact assessment report is available, and before appraisal. This information must be in a language accessible to those being consulted.
13
ADB. 2002. The Environment Policy of the Asian Development Bank, paragraph 63.
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2.
Involuntary Resettlement
58. ADB will ensure that affected people are fully informed and closely consulted on resettlement and compensation options. As stated in the PCP, paragraph 80, and in Operations Manual, section F2/BP on involuntary resettlement, ADB requires the borrower or project sponsor to make available to affected people: (i) (ii) (iii) before appraisal—a draft resettlement plan; after completion of the final resettlement plan—such resettlement plan; and following revisions to the resettlement plan as a result of detailed technical design or change in scope in the program or project—the revised resettlement plan.
59. The information from these documents can be made available as brochures, leaflets, or booklets in local languages. The entire document need not be translated word for word and provided in document form, but the relevant information may be translated and then made available in an alternative form.14 3. Indigenous Peoples
60. ADB will ensure good communication with indigenous peoples affected by ADB projects and programs. As stated in PCP, paragraph 83, ADB requires the borrower or project sponsor to make available to affected people who are indigenous peoples/ethnic minorities: (i) (ii) (iii) before appraisal—a draft indigenous peoples development plan; after completion of the final indigenous peoples development plan—such indigenous peoples development plan; and following revisions to the indigenous peoples plan as a result of detailed technical design or change in scope in the program or project15—the revised indigenous peoples development plan.
61. The information from these documents can be made available as brochures, leaflets, or booklets in local languages. The entire document need not be translated word for word and provided in document form, but may focus on relevant information. 4. Basic Project Information (as described in PCP, paragraph 74)
62. Paragraph 74 of the PCP states, “information about a public or private sector project or program under preparation (including social and environmental issues) shall be made available to affected people.” Further, it commits that ADB will work closely with the borrower or project sponsor to ensure information is provided, feedback on the proposed project design is sought, and relevant information about any major changes to project scope is also shared with affected people. Under the PCP’s definition of “available to affected people,” this information must be in a language understandable to them. Project mission leaders should plan for the communication of project information to affected people in their respective project budgets.
14 15
For further details, see ADB. 2003. Operations Manual. Section F2/OP, paragraph 45. Per the PCP, paragraph 83, footnote 21, dissemination of the plan or framework may be limited to those people affected by the change in scope.
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5.
Information for Consultation and Participation
63. For consultation to be meaningful, information should be shared in advance with those in-country stakeholders participating in the consultation. If the people with whom ADB is consulting do not speak or read English sufficiently, the documents and information materials needed to support consultation and participation should be translated. The sponsoring department of the document should consider what is necessary to translate; for example, appendices may not be needed if they do not contain information critical to the audience. (If the appendices are not translated, the translated document should state this and list the titles of appendices not translated.) The cost of this translation should be included in the budget for the consultation. To allow the public to participate meaningfully, translations of documents for public consultation (in person or via the web) should be made available with ample time before the consultation event or comments deadline. Longer documents should be made available with greater lead time so that consultation participants have an opportunity to become familiar with the material. For guidance on when to consult, please see Strengthening Participation for Development Results: A Staff Guide to Consultation and Participation (April 2006). 6. Other Project-Specific Documents
64. For project-specific documents, the responsibility for decisions regarding translation (including what, when, and how) rests with the regional department originating or owning the document. In addition, the owner or originator is encouraged to consult with resident missions on the decision. 65. Communication plans, jointly developed by developing member country governments and ADB, should aid in identifying which documents are candidates for translation and planning for the resources necessary to translate them. Project mission leaders are encouraged to budget for public awareness materials—including costs of development, translation, and printing—in the project preparatory technical assistance and/or loan. As appropriate, the mission leader may need to negotiate this on a case-by-case basis with the borrower or sponsor. As a general rule, translation of project-specific documents should be paid for by project funds. 66. Increasingly, ADB works with other development partners. When content to be translated is a joint initiative, ADB will share the responsibility and cost of translation with its partners. 67. ADB will translate summary information about other programs—such as the Greater Mekong Subregion Program and the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program— where the scope of the programs is relevant for those who do not speak English. 7. Knowledge Management Products
68. Under the knowledge management framework, ADB is committed to more systematic capture and dissemination of knowledge. Knowledge gained from studies and assessments produced by ADB should be compiled in a publicly accessible form. Translation may be needed, and should be paid for by project funds. To help project mission leaders plan for this, within 3 months of approval of the translation framework, DER will disseminate budgeting guidelines.
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8.
Evaluation Reports
69. ADB’s Operations Evaluation Department will consider on a case-by-case basis whether evaluation reports would be useful to a non-English-speaking audience. The department’s decision-makers are encouraged to plan and budget for translation. 9. Accountability Mechanism
70. In cases when the people submitting a complaint through ADB’s accountability mechanism do not understand English, the current practice of the Special Projects Facilitator and the Compliance Review Panel is to translate documents and/or information into a language accessible to complainants should continue. Funding for such translations will continue to come from the Special Projects Facilitator’s and the Compliance Review Panel’s respective budgets. V. A. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRANSLATION FRAMEWORK
Requesting Documents for Translation
71. The public may request that a document be translated into a particular language by sending an email to disclosure@adb.org. DER will forward these requests to the appropriate document owners in order for them to consider demand when deciding whether or not to translate. B. Infrastructure to Implement the Translation Framework
72. To support the implementation of the framework, DER will work with resident missions to establish the necessary translation infrastructure. This will include developing glossaries of development-related terms in various languages; ensuring smooth administrative and contracting procedures for engagement of translators; coordinating with the Office of Administrative Services on archiving of translated documents; developing systematic processes for translation of press releases; and building awareness among ADB staff. 73. Resident missions will take the lead in advising on what should or should not be translated. Staff who are hiring translators should use the resident mission’s roster of translators. 74. Glossary of terms. Many resident missions expressed a need for a glossary of ADB and development terms in their target language that could be shared with translators. This would facilitate greater consistency and clarity across translated ADB documents. DER, in cooperation with the Office of the Secretary, will commission the development of such a glossary. Where they exist, glossaries that have already been developed by other MDBs, such as the World Bank, will be used as a starting point. 75. Awareness-building. DER will promote awareness among ADB staff of translation services and resources available. 76. Centralized translation. In cases where the same language is widely spoken in multiple developing member countries, it may make sense to centralize translation efforts. Centralization will limit the staff time required to coordinate translation tasks; by selecting a location with low cost, high quality translators, real costs may also be controlled.
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C.
Translation Coordination
77. Coordination of translation activities, whether in ADB headquarters or in the resident missions, involves the following tasks: (i) coordinating the translation job; (ii) hiring the translator; and (iii) arranging for the document to be printed (if appropriate). In most cases, administrative staff in resident missions will perform these tasks, in cooperation with DER. D. Quality Assurance
78. Once the document translation is completed, either by an internal or external translator, ADB must assure the quality of the product. This is one of the most important aspects of translation, and according to staff, the most time-consuming. Quality is an ongoing concern in terms of translation; ADB users of translation services report that quality is inconsistent within the same translation company and even with the same translator. The document must be proofread to verify the accuracy and quality of the translation, both in terms of language as well as technical content. Resident missions will ensure quality and appropriate staffing resources will be assigned. Resident missions may choose to engage consultants to edit translated documents for grammar and language. The document should also be proofread by a national officer who understands the content of the document. E. Responsibilities for Translation Coordination and Quality Assurance
79. Responsibilities for the translation activities defined above are described as follows. In any case where ADB staff are responsible for hiring a translator, coordinating translation, conducting quality assurance, and in rare cases, translation itself—their job description and/or workplan should reflect this responsibility. 80. Department of External Relations. DER will serve as focal point for translation activities at ADB. In addition to coordinating the infrastructure development activities described in paragraphs 72–76, DER will manage the translation of awareness-raising documents, including administration of the budget for these translations. 81. Project team members. When project-specific translation needs arise during project processing, project personnel and/or consultants ensure that translation coordination and quality assurance tasks outlined in paragraphs 77 and 78 are undertaken. For the translation of projectspecific information (see paragraphs 57–68), project team members and/or consultants will ensure that translation takes place and verify the accuracy of the translation. The assistance of project officers in resident missions may be needed during project administration. 82. Resident missions. With the exception of project-specific information that will usually be handled by project teams, the bulk of the tasks described in paragraphs 77 and 78 will fall on resident mission staff. Tasks related to hiring the translator, coordinating the assignment, and verifying the quality of the end product are carried out by administrative assistants, analysts, and national officers, based on the resident mission’s own local staffing balance and the difficulty of the local or national language. Additional supporting staff resources will be needed for resident missions to cover the increase in document translation as prescribed under this framework. The specific resources needed for each resident mission will be identified by the respective resident mission and DER during the annual budgeting exercise.
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VI.
STAFFING AND RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
83. Start-up activities for the first year of the translation framework implementation (as described in Section V) require one-time costs of approximately $89,000. The recurring costs of translating, printing, and typesetting awareness-raising documents (as described in Section IV, Part C) and hosting and maintaining two pilot localized websites are approximately $400,000 per annum. 84. The new responsibilities of coordinating translation and ensuring quality will require 3.30 additional staff years across all resident missions. 85. The staffing and resources estimated above have been provided in the 2007 budget.
16 Appendix 1
TRANSLATION FOR DONOR MEMBER COUNTRIES 1. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) translation framework focuses on document translation for developing member countries. Donor member countries, however, also have translation needs. ADB may decide to translate information about ADB to build awareness about ADB in the general population, to enhance ADB’s profile, and to interact with the media. Any translation needs should be factored into the work plans and budgets of the European Representative Office, the Japanese Representative Office, and the North American Representative Office. 2. Examples of documents that may be helpful to have translated into donor member countries include the ADB profile, the annual report, and donor country profiles. 3. In order to avoid further increasing overhead costs to developing member countries, translation budgets for donor member countries should be funded separately. This could be done through bilateral contributions. For Japanese translation, the translation of selected documents will be funded through investment income from the Japan Special Fund.
Appendix 2
17
ADB DISCLAIMER FOR TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS “This document has been translated from English in order to reach a wider audience. While the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has made efforts to verify the accuracy of the translation, English is the working language of ADB and the English original of this document is the only authentic (that is, official and authoritative) text. Any citations must refer to the English original of this document.”